Commuter aircraft loses both dmes and #1 communication. Captain refuses to notify ATC.

Attributes
ACN	198582
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mei
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zhu
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	198582
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff from meridian, ms, airport (key field) we lost both dmes and the #1 communication radio. We tried resetting the circuit breakers. I asked the captain if he was going to notify ATC about the loss of radios, he stated, 'no.' I then asked him if he would like me to notify ATC. He again stated, 'no.' he then stated it was his decision to notify ATC of the failures, not mine. He also chose not to notify our company of the maintenance problems until the return trip into memphis, tn. Luckily the WX was VMC the entire time. However, in the future, whether captain decision is wrong or right. I am going to take it upon myself to notify ATC of equipment failures whether I am the PF or the PNF. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states that she has no idea what captain was thinking. Only thing she feels might be a possibility is that he did not want to get stuck at an outstation for repairs. Wanted to get back to main hub. Problem is that reporter knew a far was violated. She is on her one year probationary period and did not know how to handle this touchy situation. Went to training department for advice. It was suggested she use the anonymous reporting procedure company has set up. Turns out this is the third or fourth complaint about this captain. He is now being reevaluated and will continue to be.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT LOSES BOTH DMES AND #1 COM. CAPT REFUSES TO NOTIFY ATC.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM MERIDIAN, MS, ARPT (KEY FIELD) WE LOST BOTH DMES AND THE #1 COM RADIO. WE TRIED RESETTING THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WAS GOING TO NOTIFY ATC ABOUT THE LOSS OF RADIOS, HE STATED, 'NO.' I THEN ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD LIKE ME TO NOTIFY ATC. HE AGAIN STATED, 'NO.' HE THEN STATED IT WAS HIS DECISION TO NOTIFY ATC OF THE FAILURES, NOT MINE. HE ALSO CHOSE NOT TO NOTIFY OUR COMPANY OF THE MAINT PROBLEMS UNTIL THE RETURN TRIP INTO MEMPHIS, TN. LUCKILY THE WX WAS VMC THE ENTIRE TIME. HOWEVER, IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER CAPT DECISION IS WRONG OR R. I AM GOING TO TAKE IT UPON MYSELF TO NOTIFY ATC OF EQUIP FAILURES WHETHER I AM THE PF OR THE PNF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES THAT SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT CAPT WAS THINKING. ONLY THING SHE FEELS MIGHT BE A POSSIBILITY IS THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO GET STUCK AT AN OUTSTATION FOR REPAIRS. WANTED TO GET BACK TO MAIN HUB. PROBLEM IS THAT RPTR KNEW A FAR WAS VIOLATED. SHE IS ON HER ONE YEAR PROBATIONARY PERIOD AND DID NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THIS TOUCHY SITUATION. WENT TO TRAINING DEPT FOR ADVICE. IT WAS SUGGESTED SHE USE THE ANONYMOUS RPTING PROC COMPANY HAS SET UP. TURNS OUT THIS IS THE THIRD OR FOURTH COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS CAPT. HE IS NOW BEING REEVALUATED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.